Romney swats down Obama offer on taxes

Big-picture details of a petty fight.

a. Early this morning, the Obama campaign sent a letter to the Romney campaign, arguing that it wouldn't ask for any more tax returns if he released five additional years.

b. The Romney campaign promptly rejected the offer, and asked what any of that has to do with unemployment and a big deficit; then said "See you in Denver" -- a reference to the first presidential debate.

Upshot: The tax return issue isn't a good one for Romney, but Democrats run the real risk of overplaying their hands.

At some point, Obama's singular focus morphs from "legitimate question" to "Hail Mary distraction", and it seems somewhere between surreal and slapstick that a few months out from a decision determining the next four years, the Obama campaign is obsessing over Romney's tax returns.